


Be My Better Half (4x01 deleted scenes)

by DC_bookfanatic



Series: Chicago Med Season 4 Fix-it’s/ deleted scenes [2]
Category: Chicago Med
Genre: 4x01, season 4, season 4 fix-it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-06-24 22:25:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19732993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DC_bookfanatic/pseuds/DC_bookfanatic
Summary: Season 4 deleted scenes. Scene one: A hybrid OR! Now that’s an idea.





	1. How To Save A Life (scene 1)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!  
> First off, sorry for the long absence! I’ve been vacationing along with the rest of the country. But I’m back and as ready as ever to present you with ‘season 4 fix it’ as soon as I can, along with some other fics I have in the works!
> 
> Okay, lame chapter title for this one, I know (not creative at all) and I’ll probably be regretting it when I decide I want to write a fic for Rhekker based on that song;) 
> 
> But anyways, at least it’s titled (don’t be too mad if I end up titling one of these ‘deleted scenes’ with just the episode number. They’re kind of short so it’s hard to come up with one. However, that will change once we get to the later episodes...there will be lots of revisions on those:)
> 
> Thanks for reading!!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: The OneChicago verse is not mine! Nor is the title of this story or any dialogue that I might have borrowed from the show!

Connor raked his hand through his hair, sighing as he signed the death certificate. They shouldn’t have lost Trevor Keys. It wasn’t like he didn’t know what to do. He knew exactly what he needed to do, he just couldn’t get to an OR fast enough.

  
And it cost Trevor his life.

  
“We shouldn’t have lost Trevor,” Ava murmured beside him as he slid the paperwork over to her so she could sign it as well.

  
Obviously, she was thinking about the same things he was.

  
He shook his head and pocketed his pen a little harsher than usual, “If we had even been minutes earlier, we could have saved him.”

  
“It wasn’t like he was bleeding out in the field. He was in the hospital _before_ his aorta ruptured,” Connor declared in frustration.

  
Ava nodded wearily, “I know, I know,”

She sighed sadly, “If we had gotten his heart on bypass, we probably could have repaired the damage.”

  
“God Ava,” Connor hung his head, “We robbed that man and his wife of a future all because we weren’t fast enough.”

  
She briefly placed a hand on his arm, “We can’t blame ourselves,” He turned his head to look at her and Ava shook her head, “Don’t blame yourself, Connor. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. We tried our best.”

  
Connor straitened and faced her completely, his brows furrowed in irritation, “Our best wasn’t good enough this time. We could have saved his life while we were still in the ED!”

  
Ava arched an eyebrow, “With what equipment? We don’t have the proper surgical instruments, there’s limited lighting, little to no visualization let alone techs and an anesthetist. And did I mention, we don’t have a bypass machine in the ED.”

  
“Exactly! That’s the problem,” Connor rubbed his face.

  
She bit her lip in partial confusion. Yes, she knew that was the problem. Hadn’t they already established that?

Ava watched as he shifted his weight and crossed his arms. She could tell his mind was running through everything that had happened and trying to find a solution.

Connor tapped his foot and murmured, “We needed to fix it in the ED.”

Ava looked at him in disbelief and slight perplexity before slowly reiterating, “Yes, but we don’t have a bypass machine in the ED.”

Had he been listening to her at all? They just didn’t have the proper equipment to save Mr. Keys whether they liked it or not. A look of dawning realization as well as excitement crept into Connor’s eyes.

He looked at her pointedly, “But what if we did?”

Ava’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “You’re saying essentially an OR in the ED?”

Connor nodded, looking at her confidently, “Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“You’ve certainly had some big ideas in the past but this,” She shook her head incredulously, “This is insanely huge.”

He looked at her imploringly, “Come on, Avey,” He clasped his hands together in a pleading motion, “Just think about it. We’ve both lost patients we could have easily saved if we had been able to do surgery in the ED. We could save so many more people. There don’t have to be anymore Trevor Keys. I could really use you on this.”

  
Ava smiled wryly, lifting her hand to stop his spill. She shook her head, “You don’t have to convince me. I think it’s a great idea. I’m in.”

  
Connor lit up, “Really?”

  
She chuckled, nodding her head, “Really.”

Ava’s smile diminished slightly as it hit her. They were going to have to do this fast if Connor wanted any part of bringing this idea of his to fruition because he was _leaving_. He was leaving Med, leaving her.

  
Today was his second to last day. Neither one of them had acknowledged it yet except for her little quip this morning when he was packing up his stuff. He seemed content to ignore it which worked for her. She wasn’t going to think about it until she really had to, and he was gone.

  
She felt a pang in her chest as she realized yet again that once he left, she would never have moments like these. She would never see his endearing smile or hear him call her ‘Avey’. He was the one that coined the nickname and he was the only one that called her that. It would always be his.

  
She smiled mischievously before Connor could notice her melancholy state.

  
He was leaving as much as it pained her to admit it and she couldn’t do anything about it. But she could help him with this project, however ludicrous it sounded, and she would do it with a happy heart because it made Connor happy and excited. They would have one last seemingly impossible project to accomplish before he left, and she would cherish these memories forever.

  
“So,” She sighed, grinning happily, “How do you propose we go about getting an OR in the ED?”

  
Connor grinned back, his eyes sparkling as he pushed her towards the elevator, “We convince Ms. Goodwin.”


	2. Don’t Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava and Ms. Goodwin talk. Deleted scene after Connor proposes the hybrid room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!!
> 
> Two uploads in one week! I’m doing good! Hopefully this will make up for my long absence😊 I hope you like this short scene and let me know if it’s unclear where the ‘deleted scene’ fits into the actual episode. Do I need to indicate when the scene is happening?
> 
> I’m hoping on publishing more of these scenes very soon but I’m planning on posting something really special this weekend (not related to the ‘fix-it series’) so I hope you’ll get excited for that!! Lots of Rhekker fluff!!
> 
> Anyways, happy reading!!
> 
> Disclaimer: Don’t own anything related to Chicago or the OneChicago verse
> 
> P.S. I think most of the lines I quoted verbatim from the episode is italicized (although, mostly in this fic, are thoughts that are italicized-hopefully you can tell what was from the show and what is a thought😊) In the future, I will try to add an * for the dialogue I borrowed😊

_“I think it would be a mistake for the hospital to lose this.”_

Both Ava and Ms. Goodwin watched Connor storm away, shoving his proposal in the trash. Ava couldn’t help but think that Ms. Goodwin’s words had a double meaning.

  
And she agreed, it would be a mistake for the hospital to lose this. Connor and the hybrid OR. Of course, she might be a little biased and her reasons for wanting to keep Connor here were probably quite different from Ms. Goodwin’s but still.

  
When Connor came up with hybrid OR a few hours ago, Ava was all in. It was a great idea and she’d wanted the memories of trying to pull this together with him to look back on once he was at Mayo. Then, when they were pitching the idea to Goodwin, the administrator pointed out Connor would be a great candidate to run the program and said she’d like him to stay.

  
Ava’s mind went into overdrive at that, upset that using the hybrid OR as an incentive to persuade Connor to stay hadn’t crossed her mind.

  
She had been so wrapped up in the fact that Connor was leaving and there was nothing she could do but make as much peace as she could with the situation and make as many memories as she could that the idea of enticing him to stay was one she had not thought of.

  
This morning she had joked about the cold weather, but she knew Connor didn’t really care about that. Cold was cold and Chicago was freezing so she was confident that Connor could stand Minnesota, even if it was statistically chillier.

  
But now, there was a real chance of convincing him to stay. Maybe it wasn’t too late.

  
She had a feeling that if she found a way to make the hybrid OR a reality, she could persuade Connor to stay and run it. An OR in the ED, Goodwin was right. No other hospital had anything like this and being the chief of something like that would look highly impressive on a CV. It was right up Connor’s alley and then he would stay in Chicago.

With her.

  
However, the board said no which meant she needed to figure out a way to get them to say yes and she only had a weekend to do it in.

  
“You’ve got this look in your eye,” Goodwin stated bringing Ava out of her thoughts.

  
She glanced at her superior before musing, “I’m trying to figure out a way to make the hybrid OR happen.”

  
Ms. Goodwin gave her a look, “You mean you’re trying to figure out a way to make Dr. Rhodes stay.”

  
Ava gave a start. Was she that obvious?

  
“I was young and in love once,” The older lady looked at her knowingly with a touch of sympathy, “And you don’t strike me as person who would let someone she cared about go without a fight. Especially if an opportunity to make them stay, such as this, presented itself.”

  
Ava bit her lip. Goodwin was right. Now that she had this opportunity to make Connor stay, she wasn’t about to let him go without a fight.

  
But she needed to find a way to get the board to pass the OR.

  
The reason why they turned it down was because of the expense. And it was incredibly expensive; she could hear Gwen Garret listing off all the items on Connor’s list with the price tags attached.  
So, she needed money. And she had a pretty good idea of where she could get some.

  
Her stomach sank. No, that was a _bad_ idea.

  
She was confident she could get him to donate most of the money within the timeframe she needed it.

  
 _That’s a bad idea and you know it_ , her mind screamed.

  
But it would prevent Connor from leaving.

  
 _That may not matter if you do this. You could lose him regardless of whether he stays or goes_ , her mind oh so helpfully supplied.

  
_If you do this and he finds out…_

  
Ava hesitated. It was her best option, no matter how much she didn’t want to do it. That man’s _fascination_ with her thoroughly creeped her out but she might be able to use it to her advantage.

  
She grimaced, barely holding back a shudder. For Connor. Everything would be okay as long as he didn’t find out.

  
_This was such a bad idea._

  
“Dr. Bekker,” Goodwin watched her suspiciously, “What have you come up with.”

  
Ava swallowed, “Well,” She drew out slowly, “It’s the money that’s the issue so…” She trailed off and Goodwin’s eyebrows were raised.

  
“You’re going to ask Cornelius Rhodes for the money,” The administrator said in realization.

  
Ava nodded once, still thinking of all the ways this was a terrible idea. Most of them leading back to the fact Connor would probably hate her if he found out she went to his _father_ of all people for the money.

  
She knew they had a complicated relationship and she knew how much Connor hated to be beholden to his father and she knew how eager Mr. Rhodes was to ‘one-up’ his son and it was just a mess. And that was without mentioning Cornelius’s strange behavior towards her.

  
She was insane to even be considering this.

  
But it was her only plan.

  
Ms. Goodwin had been watching her perceptively, “I don’t think I have to warn you about this,” She pursed her lips, “But you’re treading on dangerous territory.”

  
“I know. It certainly isn’t the smartest idea,” Ava sighed, “But it’s my only idea. Unless you have something?”

  
Goodwin eyed her, shaking her head regretfully, “No, no I don’t. Unfortunately, I do believe Mr. Rhodes is your best option if you want to keep Dr. Rhodes here by using the hybrid OR.”

  
They both stood in silence for a few seconds, Ava staring off in the direction in which Connor disappeared and Goodwin silently observed the young surgeon.

  
She laid a comforting hand briefly on Ava’s folded arms, giving her a sympathetic look, “ _Be careful._ ”

  
Ava watched her go, tapping her fingers nervously against her arm. She had to go to Cornelius tonight if she had any hope of acquiring all the money that was needed.

  
Her stomach sank again.

  
That meant she was going to have to miss Connor’s going away party. He’d asked her several times if she was planning on attending and she had assured him she was but now, it looked like she was spending the evening with his less than desirable father instead.

  
She would much rather be spending time with Connor because if her idea didn’t pan out then she would have missed her real last chance of hanging out with him. However, if she did manage to convince Mr. Rhodes, then she would have hopefully years to spend time with Connor.

  
Ava turned on her heel, heading to CT. She was determined to give it her all. She wouldn’t let Connor go, not without a fight.

  
After all, he’d said himself that they could have had something. And she wasn’t about to give up that opportunity. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t forget to leave a comment!! It makes my day!
> 
> Love always!


	3. Searching through the Crowd (scene 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third scene in episode one. Gives a more in depth look at Connor’s thoughts when he was searching for Ava at his going away party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one’s a little cheesy but I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own anything

_Where was she?_

  
Connor was barely paying attention to what Dr. Latham was saying. He appreciated the sentimental and heartfelt words, especially coming from a man who didn’t show much emotion, but Connor only caught a few words. He was too preoccupied with looking for Ava.

  
She said she was going to be there.

  
He’d looked for her before the party got kicked off, tried calling and texting but there was no sign of her, then Latham called everyone over for a toast, cutting his search for Ava short.

  
_Where was she?_

  
His eyes flitted around, scanning all the faces of his friends, looking for the one person he wanted there more than anyone. Don’t get him wrong, he was incredibly grateful for all his friends that had shown up to wish him luck and say goodbye, but Ava was the one person he knew deep down he would miss the most.

  
It didn’t make sense. Out of all the people in the hospital, he’d known the blonde surgeon the least amount of time and to say their ‘relationship’ got off to a rocky start would be an understatement but slowly they became close friends and he knew he would miss her the most.

  
He saw Ava every single day. She was a welcome constant in his otherwise hectic life and time spent with her was something he always looked forward to. Besides the fact that they were a great team, in and out of the OR, they had one of the best relationships he’d ever had, and they weren’t even dating.

  
Nothing seemed to thrill him like she did. Not even surgery. Unless it was surgery with Ava.

  
Then, he acted on an impulse and kissed her which led him to one of the best nights of his life which he quickly and promptly ruined with the whole _‘I have plans’_ and ever since then he’d been trying to get back into Ava’s good graces because he found that he _really_ wanted to pursue a relationship with her.

  
However, that woman completely and totally mystified him.

  
She was constantly changing. One day, she would act like his best friend, other days she wouldn’t talk to him at all. Sometimes, she would tease him mercifully and sometimes, all she would do was glare. She could go from entirely open and honest to completely shut off and cold like a flipped switch.

  
Yes, her personality was sometimes challenging but he knew that she was a kind, caring and compassionate person, she just didn’t always show it.

  
Ava was so special, and he was finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that he may never see her again; never work with her, laugh with her, fight with her. He would never look into those sparkling hazel eyes or hear that lilting accent speak with such fierceness or such softness.

  
He was going away despite the small voice in the back of his head screaming _don’t go!_

  
But like Ava had said, who could turn down an opportunity like this.

  
He couldn’t. Not now.

  
What excuse did he have?

  
For a split second, this afternoon when Goodwin suggested he stay and run the hybrid OR he’d felt a surge of hope. Maybe he _could_ stay. With Ava.

  
After all, just this morning had he said that they could have had something.

  
And she’d said that he was the one who was leaving.

  
She hadn’t seemed repulsed by the idea; in fact, she’d seemed hurt. Like she also believed they could have had a relationship but knew they wouldn’t get the chance.

  
Of course, he’d brushed it off not wanting to appear desperate to stay in Chicago after he’d accepted a job at Mayo but if he could get the board to approve the OR, he would have a legitimate excuse to stay at Med.

  
And maybe he and Ava _could_ have something.

  
But that plan went down the drain when the board denied his request. He was upset that they wouldn’t be getting the lifesaving OR, but he was doubly upset that he wasn’t getting an excuse to stay at Med.

  
And that was that.

  
He only had one evening and a day to spend with Ava before he left, and she wasn’t even at his party.

  
Was she mad at him? He knew she’d been mad that he’d gotten the offer but that was only because she’d wanted it, right? Not for any other reason however much he wished it was. Maybe she _was_ upset and that’s why she wasn’t at the party.

  
But she didn’t seem like she was mad at him, she’d seemed like her old self when he last saw her.

  
After Latham finished his speech, Connor meandered through the crowd, craning his neck to look for Ava.

  
“Hey Maggie,” He slid up next to her, “Have you seen Ava?”

  
At the shake of her head, Connor walked over to where Ms. Goodwin sat, “Ms. Goodwin,” She turned her head, “Have you seen Dr. Bekker?”

Goodwin looked at him for a moment before shaking her head, “No, I haven’t.”

Connor sighed, “Maybe she got stuck in surgery.”

  
“Maybe,” The administrator seemed to agree with him.

  
Connor frowned, moving off in another direction. She probably did get stuck in surgery. It was the most reasonable explanation. She wasn’t mad at him, if she was, she would have made it abundantly clear.

  
He wished that Ava had passed whatever surgery she was doing on to someone else. He knew that was selfish, but he just wanted her there so badly. Nothing was half as fun as it was when Ava was with him and he didn’t have much time to spend quality time with her before he left.

  
If he already missed her this much, Lord help him when he moved to Minnesota.

* * *

Goodwin watched Connor as he moved through the crowd, obviously still searching for Ava.

She sighed. She had pretty good feeling she knew exactly where Ava was tonight.

She shook her head. If those two weren’t so stubborn, neither one of them would have to be going through any of this. If they would just admit their feelings, everything would be a lot better for both of them.

Instead, for whatever reason, it seemed like neither party has spoken up and now they’re in danger of losing something that could be really special if they just gave it a chance.

  
She saw how they looked at each other when they weren’t having professional disagreements. She saw the way they interacted quietly, probably not even realizing how in love they looked.

  
Now, Ava is doing something that could end up in a disaster if she isn’t careful and Connor is moping around like a lost little boy, trying not to admit that he really doesn’t want to leave.

  
Those two were excellent surgeons, incredibly smart and compassionate and they have what it takes to go far in life, but Goodwin was afraid that if something didn’t change soon, both Ava and Connor would miss out on a life that was completely full and filled with love.

  
She shook her head, running a finger around the rim of her wooden cup.

  
Sighing, she raised her glass and silently wished Ava good luck.

  
Goodwin knew that now, the only hope for Connor to stay counted on Ava getting the money from his father.

  
She said a silent prayer.

  
_Please make this work out. Please don’t let Ava’s plan backfire. Connor and Ava are meant for each other._

  
Goodwin shook her head, taking another sip of her drink.

  
She worried about these people, she really did, and she was going to do everything in her power to help keep Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Bekker together. She didn’t want them going through life unhappy tethered to the wrong person.

Everyone could see that they were truly meant for each other.

  
Everyone but them apparently. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you found this scene satisfactory and that you found it flowed with the episode! I felt like when watching the episode that Connor really didn’t want to take the job at Mayo at least partly because of Ava so I tried to tap into that. I also feel, judging from Connor’s personality, that he wouldn’t just come right out and say that he didn’t want to go. I think he would try to convince himself he needed to because he wouldn’t be able to justify why he didn’t take the offer, if that makes since. Feel free to tell me what you think about Connor’s behavior in the comments!!
> 
> Thank you guys so much!! Drop a comment...it means a lot!


	4. Oh, What A Tangled Web

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava has good intensions contrary to her sly behavior but Connor can never find out. Not if she wants him to stay and this is the only way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!   
> Sorry for the wait but I'm finally uploading the chapter. This will be probably one of the most controversial ones because...you guessed it, this is my take on what happened when Ava went to Cornelius Rhodes for the money to fund the hybrid OR. I'm excited for you to read it and tell me what you think, if this was anything like you've imagined or something similar! Thanks for reading, like always!!
> 
> Also, anything with an * is a line of dialogue I borrowed straight from the episode.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the OneChicago franchise (or any of its dialogue)

_‘This is such a bad idea’_ , Ava looked up at the impressive building proudly boasting its name ‘ _Dolen Rhodes’_ with such confidence; jewels and expensive clothing displayed in large glass windows.

She sighed, tightening her grip on her clutch before shifting on her feet and steeling herself for the unpleasant evening she was sure she was about to have.

She would most definitely much rather be at Connor’s party right now. In fact, there’s nowhere else she’d rather be but instead, she was here about to do something that was decisively not a great idea.

Walking into the large department store, she spotted Connor’s father right away and made her way over to him.

“Mr. Rhodes,” Her confidant voice masked the unease she felt.

The older man looked up from where he was examining fine crystal. Every time she encountered the older Rhodes, Ava briefly wondered where Connor got his good looks from. Probably his mother.

“Dr. Bekker,” *Cornelius looked surprised to see her but still smiled that sickly smile that Ava was sure used to be charming like Connor’s.

She forced a small smile, “Have you got a minute?” *

She had obviously piqued his interest as he nodded once, “Of course. This way.” *

Ava followed Mr. Rhodes through shelves of expensive looking china and glass as he led her to what she assumed was his office. He held the wooden door open for her and she slid past him, pushing down the surge of unease she felt when he closed the door behind him.

Cornelius smiled eerily as he sat down behind his desk, undoing the button to his suit jacket. Her eyes followed unflinchingly, careful not to show any type of emotion.

“Well, I can honestly say that I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight but it’s a lovely surprise,” He swept his gaze up and down her form and Ava did her best to not shudder.

“Yes, well,” She pursed her lips, “I have a business proposition for you concerning a cutting-edge installment at Med.”

His eyebrows rose, “Oh?”

She took the proposal Connor had written out from under her arm and handed it across the desk to Cornelius.

She’d gingerly withdrawn it from the trash earlier after Connor had shoved it into the stainless still bin; luckily the trash in the can was mostly paper.

Ava watched a bit apprehensively as Connor’s father started leafing through the folder, giving him a second to get a grasp on the plans and allowing herself to take a few breaths before cutting to the chase.

“I know you’re a generous donator for the hospital and have been a great supporter of the CT department so I thought you might be interested in helping to fund a hybrid OR that would be stationed in the ED,” Mr. Rhodes glanced up, continuing to turn pages, “It’s a very worthy cause and something the hospital could really use.

Ava met his gaze squarely and began her pitch, “Now creating a hybrid OR in the ED would be expensive and the hospital is not willing to make the commitment,”* She took a breath, “However private donors, such as yourself would earmark contributions for the project. The board would be incentivized to make the investment.” *

“Right,”* He mused.

She studied Cornelius’s facial expression, nervous to see that he didn’t look convinced. This _had_ to work. It just had too. She frowned; it was time to turn on the charm however much she might not want to, but she’d vowed to herself that she would make an effort.

She would go as far as diner and moderate flirting however much it disturbed her. And there would be _no_ crossing that line.

Ava put on a smile, sauntering around the desk to stand by Cornelius’s side, “I wouldn’t expect you personally to fund the entire project,”* She leaned on the desk before innocently adding, “I would think with your connections you could raise it with just a few phone calls.”*

Men like Cornelius Rhodes loved praise.

Just as she expected he chuckled, pretending to shrug humbly but she knew she had pleased him with her words.

“And you’d be running this project?”*

“No, Dr. Rhodes—Connor will be.”*

She cursed at her startled reply.

She had not been expecting that question. At least not this soon into their conversation.

Ava had hoped she could get by without telling him who the OR was for. She had a feeling she would now have to work extra hard to get the money she needed.

Cornelius looked at her in surprise, “I thought he was off to the Mayo Clinic.”*

She swallowed. No sense in hiding her motives now.

“I believe he’ll stay in Chicago if the program gets funded.”*

She hoped.

Mr. Rhodes went back to flipping pages, “Well, as I’m sure you’re aware my son and I have not had the easiest of relationships.”*

Oh, she was aware.

“I would want my involvement kept anonymous.”*

Perfect. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ava smiled, “Of course. I understand.”*

He closed the folder and sat it on his desk, “Let me think about it.”*

She was careful to not let her panic show. She didn’t have time for him to think about it. She only had one shot at this and if she didn’t acquire the money in the next few hours, then Connor would leave, and she’d never see him again.

“I’m afraid this is time-sensitive,”* She quickly responded, hoping that she didn’t sound as desperate as she was.

“Oh,”* He looked at her curiously but still didn’t seem to be budging.

Ava swallowed. Forcing herself not to close her eyes in revulsion before plastering on an inviting smile. It looked like she was going to dinner with Cornelius Rhodes.

“You know what? I have an idea.”* She swallowed again, “Why don’t we go to dinner?”*

She slid Connor’s proposal off the desk, “Discuss this further?”*

Ava forced a smile, trying not to cringe as Cornelius’s gaze swept across her slightly revealing chest. He wasn’t going to refuse her invitation; she could see it in his eyes. Whirling around so he wouldn’t see how unnerved and disgusted she was.

All she needed to do was play along, do some flirting, let him get close but not to close and sweet talk him into giving the hospital more money specifically for the hybrid OR and then keep Connor from finding out.

Should be simple.

* * *

“I’ve donated a small fortune to Med over the years. Don’t you think that’s enough?” Cornelius mused, tapping on his whiskey tumbler.

Ava held back a sigh of frustration.

After a very awkward car ride to one of the fancier restaurants in town, Ava had dutifully taken Cornelius’s arm and let him lead her into the building, praying that she didn’t see anyone she knew. Or that Mr. Rhodes knew. She didn’t really want to have to explain her presence nor did she want rumors to start circling around Chicago and getting back to Connor.

That would be a nightmare.

First, they had ordered, and she bit back a protest when Cornelius asked for champagne, telling herself that he needed to think things were going his way if she had any hope of buttering him up to donate to Med.

Then, she bided her time, letting him talk about how rich he was, droning on about how well his company and stocks were going. When he started asking her questions about her private life and her life before Chicago, she deflected as politely as she could. Her tongue was sore from biting it so much to keep herself from giving her usual snarky comebacks.

Anytime, he did something that got on her nerves or made her feel uncomfortable, which had happened a lot, she’d had to refrain from spewing insults.

She’d flirted and stroked his ego as much as it pained her, doing her absolute best to ignore the way Cornelius leered at her. And when she couldn’t stand it any longer, she’d started trying to veer Cornelius back into a business frame of mind; a feat which proved much harder than she had patience for.

Every time she’d mentioned the hospital or the proposal, he always went back to either giving her compliments that, frankly, creeped her out or he started talking about himself again. But they were almost finished with dessert and she didn’t want to be in his company any longer than she had too.

It was a wonder Elizabeth Rhodes ever married this guy.

Connor didn’t talk about his mother much, but she knew the stories and she knew the events surrounding Mrs. Rhodes’ suicide were strange but, it was no wonder she was depressed with a husband like this.

Ava was sure he cheated on her and she probably knew it too. And she had a feeling so did Connor which probably contributed to the animosity between him and his father.

However, as bad as she felt for Connor’s mom, she was glad she had married Cornelius because if she hadn’t, there wouldn’t be Connor.

And that was the whole reason she was sitting through this insufferable dinner. It was for Connor. And for her.

Ava sat up straight from where she had been leaning slightly over the table in a fake playful manner. She was done with flirting and letting Mr. Rhodes have it his way. She wasn’t about to let him deflect again.

She set her shoulders and fixed him with an unwavering stare, “Yes, you have donated a considerable amount of money and I, along with the rest of the hospital, are grateful but as you have pointed out, you have more money than you could possibly spend. Can you not part with any more of it!?”

Ava cried before sighing to compose herself, “Are you willing to help fund the hybrid OR or not?”

“As you know and as I’ve said before,” Cornelius gave her a look, “Connor and I don’t have a great relationship. And I don’t think he’d like it too much if he found out I was the one that spearheaded the project.”

“I would think that you would be quick to jump at a chance to Lord something over your son’s head,” She snapped in exasperation.

Ava cursed internally. She hadn’t meant to say that. Mr. Rhodes regarded her thoughtfully and she thought she detected a hint of humor in his expression.

“Tell me something. Why are you so desperate to have this OR built?”

Before she could respond, he continued in almost a mocking manner, “Why do you want my son to stay so badly? Does he really mean that much to you?”

Tears pooled in her eyes.

How could a father be so callous towards his own son?

Her heart broke for Connor. How could Cornelius not see what an amazing young man his son had grown up to be despite his childhood turmoil? It broke her heart that he wasn’t striving harder than she was to have Connor stay in Chicago. Cornelius should be doing everything he could to keep his son close but instead he was questioning why anyone would want Connor to stay.

Ava looked at Cornelius earnestly steadfast, “Yes, he really does mean that much to me. And it’s a shame that you don’t see how special your son is.”

She shook her head before taking a deep breath, “Please, I don’t have any other options.”

Briefly, her eyes shut, and she clenched her purse that lay in her lap before laying herself bare and vulnerable in front of the last person she wanted to do that with.

When Ava’s eyes fluttered back open, they were glassy and swimming with emotions she hadn’t dared show; and with such vulnerability, she felt like she was betraying herself but she was determined to do everything she could to get Connor to stay and if that meant begging _Cornelius Rhodes,_ then so be it.

“I’m literally begging you. Please donate to the hybrid OR. I don’t know what else to say.”

Mr. Rhodes regarded her silently before opening his mouth, “You love my son.”

It didn’t quite come out as a question. It was more of a statement of something he had known but hadn’t quite realized until now.

Ava swallowed, not exactly sure how to respond to that. She decided to stay silent, meeting Cornelius’s inquisitive gaze with a steadfast one of her own.

The look on his face shifted into one of lust and frankly, it scared her. She swallowed again, her glare diminishing in apprehension as she watched Cornelius’s eyes turn dark and trail along her chest.

Her eyes flitted around. They were virtually alone in the restaurant. It was designed so each table had copious amounts of privacy and the lights were very low to give off a romantic, and almost seductive vibe. And it seemed like the waiters only came around when absolutely necessary.

She imagined this was the sort of place you went on your honeymoon. One could get up to all sorts of shenanigans and no one would ever know, that’s how secluded each table was.

Well, she certainly _wasn’t_ on her honeymoon. Far from it and the look Mr. Rhodes was giving her was seriously making her nervous.

She could scream but she didn’t think the situation warranted that yet. She was still holding out hope that Mr. Rhodes would offer up the money painlessly.

And then everything happened so quickly she didn’t even have time to blink. Cornelius could move _fast,_ especially for a man of his age. He was practically on top of her, forcing her to lay awkwardly on the wide booth.

He had one hand clamped over her mouth and the other was slowly inching its way up her thigh. Mr. Rhodes was also surprisingly strong for a man his age. And it wasn’t like he was fit by any stretch of imagination.

One of her arms was trapped between her and the back of the seat and the other was being pinned by Cornelius’s quite heavy person.

After the shock quickly wore off and Ava realized exactly what was happening, her first thought was if Cornelius managed to rape her, she’d _never_ be able to look Connor in the eyes again. She’d be too ashamed, and she definitely didn’t want Connor to have that image of his father.

When she finally got a hold of herself, she bit down hard where Mr. Rhodes’s fatty hand was clasped over her mouth.

His eyes rose to hers in surprise as she managed to knee him in the groin. She glared at him in fury and disgust laced with fear.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Ava hissed as he backed away.

She quickly sat up and scrambled as far away from him as she could, rearranging her crumpled dress.

Cornelius looked put out at her actions but other than that, he didn’t seem fazed at all at what he’d just done.

He arched an eyebrow, smoothing his tie, “Isn’t that why you came to me tonight, all dressed up? To seduce me?”

She barely kept her jaw from dropping open. Yes, she had dressed nicely, and she had laid perhaps a little too heavy on the flirting, but she certainly hadn’t come with the intent to _seduce_ him. All she’d wanted to do was sweet talk him into giving money for the hybrid OR so Connor would stay in Chicago.

“Of course not,” She snapped, “I came to ask you to donate to the OR.”

It was a testament to just how desperate she was to get Connor to stay that she was still in the restaurant, talking to the man that had just assaulted her.

Cornelius sighed melancholily, “Alright,” He nodded, “I’ll spearhead the hybrid room.”

Ava could barely believe her ears. Of course, those were the words she’d been hoping to hear all evening but hearing them now, it felt like Cornelius was conceding much to easily.

“You will?” Her words came out in stunned surprise.

He looked at her and nodded once, “I will,” He paused, stippling is fingers, “With conditions.”

Of course, there were _conditions_.

Ava eyed him warily, “Such as?”

He hesitated, eyeing her, “The events of this evening must never be disclosed, and Connor must never find out I was the one to find the hybrid OR.”

Of course, he didn’t want everyone to know he’d tried to sexually assault her. Not that she wanted to tell everyone. It was embarrassing.

And she was more than happy to withhold the fact that Cornelius gave the funds because ultimately, it would lead back to her and Connor would never forgive her.

Although, she couldn’t figure out _why_ he would want that information kept private. Knowing their relationship, she would have thought Mr. Rhodes would want to hold this over Connor’s head.

Oh well. It made no difference to her. At least, not at the moment.

She nodded her head once, “I accept.”

She was about to take her leave as quickly and smoothly as possible when Cornelius crossed his arms and gave a smug look. She hesitated, unsettled by his gaze.

“And there’s something else.”

Ava’s heart sank, knowing whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be good.

Mr. Rhodes tapped his fingers together, “If you just so happen to tell Connor or anyone else about tonight, well, let’s just say I’m not afraid to start rumors. And I wonder who will believe who.”

Her breath hitched. Rumors were a nasty business, especially for someone with an impressive reputation like hers. That wasn’t even considering what Connor would think if ‘rumors’ started spreading. Of course, she didn’t know exactly what they would be, but she had a pretty good idea.

And none of them were uncomplicated.

But what could she do? She was so close, and she’d gone this far, it seemed pointless to throw away all of her work over this threat of, well, essentially blackmail. And she wasn’t going to allow herself to think about what would happen to her job and her personal life should Mr. Rhodes follow through on his threat.

Nodding once more, Ava pursed her lips, “So, I expect you’ll contact the hospital and make the transaction by the morning? At the latest?”

He regarded her again, “It will be done before you get to work in the morning.”

Ava felt like crying for joy. Instead, she kept her composure, rose from her seat and walked out of the restaurant without another word.

The crisp Chicago air hit her face and she quickly weaved in and out of the crowded sidewalk. She wasn’t sure how long she walked; all she had wanted to do was to get as far away from Mr. Rhodes as possible.

Finally, she found herself escaping into a secluded corner of a high rise. Ava leaned up against the wall, not caring about how dirty it probably was. She was throwing the dress away. She wanted as little reminder of tonight as possible.

Ava took a shaky breath, her form trembling from the chilly air and from the events that had just occurred. Shock and sheer relief coursing through her body.

It had been one hell of a negotiation. One that had taken turns she hadn’t been expecting.

Her mind kept running through all the possibilities of what could have happened tonight. It was too much. Not even she could rein in her emotions and shove them in the tiny box in her mind. Not yet, at least.

But she’d accomplished the one thing that she’d been hellbent to achieve. She’d procured the money. Now all she had to do was hope she was right, and that Connor would stay because the hospital was going to build his hybrid OR.

Ava swiped a tear. This is what happened when she let her heart make decisions for her. She half wondered why it was so determined that she needed Connor when all he seemed to do was cause pain.

She shook her head in disbelief. She was falling in love. And her mind couldn’t talk her heart out of this one.

And boy did she hope it wouldn’t get her into any more trouble than it already had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? 
> 
> I really tried to make this as realistic as possible and come up with something that Ava would really hesitate telling Connor about to justify her hesitance to tell him (which I will definitely be remedying from the episodes--She will eventually tell Connor what went down in the next couple 'fix it's episodes'). I didn't want it too terrible (like full on rape) but again, I wanted it bad enough to where Ava didn't want to tell Connor about it. Hopefully that makes since and I would love to hear your opinions and theories. By the way, I have heard that we will actually be getting an explanation to all that's happened in 5x01, so we'll see *crosses fingers*. Hopefully it'll be decent and make since?? Is that too much to ask (probably), anyways I hope you enjoyed my rendition of it and I hope you found it satisfactory!
> 
> Stay tuned for more and as always, please leave a comment!!


	5. Careful Hands (scene 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter of episode 1! Connor makes a decision as Ava reflects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! One episode down, twenty-one to go :)! 
> 
> I got this title from Sleeping At Last, Album 'Keep No Score'. I've decided to try and name all my works from a song title or lyric from my favorite artists. I really enjoy listening it songs with lots of emotional meaning to them while I write, 1) because I love them and 2) it helps me connect the characters to raw emotions and sets the scene. These songs are like a soundtrack, if you will, to my fics. Maybe you'll even find some new music to listen to if you like these types of songs! Sleeping At Last is one of my favorite artists! I listen to it a lot as I write these fics. The song title I picked for this chapter, I picked mainly for the lyrics, if you'd like to go read them. It's from one of his earlier albums and I don't like the style of music as much as I like his music style now (if that makes since) but I really felt the lyrics fit this scene.
> 
> Anyways, enough of my musical ramblings! I hope you enjoy the ending to this episode!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Chicago Med

_"Wrists get tired of rewriting futures._

_Our bodies beg us to be creatures of habit._

_We are creatures of habit."_

_-Careful Hands, Sleeping At Last_

* * *

He spotted her as soon as he rounded the corner. There she was, like always, hair perfectly in place, standing at the nurses’ station already going over patient charts.

And it hit him like a million bricks. He’d never see this sight ever again.

The inevitable had finally come. It was his last day at Med. His last day with Ava by his side.

It hurt to think about, and he’d thought Ava felt the same way. He’d thought they had become good friends in the time she had been there. Regardless of the cold shoulder she’d given him the first week after he’d announced his decision, he thought she was truly saddened by his leaving. That’s why she had behaved that way, right?

But maybe he was wrong. Maybe she really could care less. Because she hadn’t even come to his party.

She was constantly making him go round and round in circles.

“Ava,” He stated in greeting as he took his place beside her, grabbing his own binder.

She shifted, and her head snapped up to look at him.

Her eyes startled him. They were always so expressive, he’d learned (reading them was different story however).

They were icy. He was accustomed to seeing them this way as it wasn’t unusual, but he thought he detected a glint of apprehension and maybe even a hint of fear.

Two emotions he rarely saw from her. Maybe never.

Connor furrowed his eyebrows in concern, “Are you okay?”

She glanced away for brief second before biting out, “I’m fine.”

It was obvious she wasn’t going to offer up anything else which infuriated him. He sighed trying to tamp down his annoyance. He’d promised himself he wasn’t going to fight with Ava today. At least not over this.

“Where were you last night?”

He couldn’t help the salty way in which he asked the question.

At his tone, Ava looked back up and this time he thought she held a guilty look in her eyes.

She turned back to the folder in her hands, “Something came up.”

There was still a bite in her words, but it wasn’t as harsh as before. Connor excepted the vague response and decided to let it go before they really started to argue.

* * *

Connor’s last day so far hadn’t gone like he’d hoped.

He’d imagined Ava being her usual witty self as they tied up the last of his surgeries together; looked forward to their conversations whether it be about their coffee preferences or about aortic dissections.

However, it had been anything but. The whole morning, Ava had been shorter than usual and only really talked when necessary. And when she did talk, it was always about their work. She hadn’t even teased him once.

Oh, who was he kidding, Ava didn’t really have a ‘usual’ behavior.

But the thing that bothered him most was the fact that she seemed almost skittish. Something he’d never associated with her. And it stumped him beyond all belief. In fact, it almost scared him.

Connor watched her out of the corner of his eye as she scanned through x-ray’s before turning back to his own set.

“Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Bekker,” They both looked up at the sound of their names.

A nurse was standing there, “The board is in session and they’ve asked for both your presences.”

Connor’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t been expecting that. He looked at Ava who oddly seemed relieved, the tension in her shoulders disappearing.

He shook his head. It didn’t matter.

They made their way to the administrative floor silently. He opened the door for her, and they came to stand in front of the large oval table that held the hospital’s top dogs.

Ms. Goodwin looked at them, glancing briefly at Ava before addressing them both, “Dr. Bekker, Dr. Rhodes,” She paused, “Thank you both for joining us.”*

“I have good news. The hospital has received donations earmarked for your ED hybrid OR and the board has decided to provide matching funds.”*

The hospital’s president smiled, “We’re going ahead with your proposal.”*

Connor briefly wondered who had donated and how they even heard about the proposal but dismissed the thought. Who cared as long as it was being built?

He nodded, “I’m happy to hear that.”*

Ms. Goodwin looked at him, “But there is one stipulation,”* She hesitated, her eyes fliting to Ava for a brief second, “You have to stay and run the program.”*

He felt Ava look at him and he tried to read her expression out of the corner of his eye.

Connor wasn’t sure what to say. He could stay if he wanted and not look like he was turning his back on Mayo for no good reason.

Instead of blurting out a response, he took a breath, “Let me think about it.”

He felt Ava’s eyes glance toward him.

“You have until tomorrow,” Gwen Garret spoke up from her spot.

He gave another nod and turned to walk out the door, Ava on his heels.

They both came to a standstill in the large atrium outside of the conference rooms. Connor shoved his hands back into his pockets, head bent as he turned slightly to where Ava was standing beside him.

Her eyes were trailed on the door they had just exited.

They were both silent for a moment before Ava broke the silence, “Are you going to stay?”

It was the first non-medical thing she’d said all day.

Connor observed her thoughtfully. Her eyes were boring into his, blazing with something he couldn’t quite name.

He stared back, “I don’t know.”

He did know. He was staying no matter what his mind tried to convince him to do. His heart was going to win this one.

But he’d always been stubborn and too arrogant for his own good and he hadn’t quite learned how to admit to Ava that he’d wanted to stay all along. Or to himself.

Something shifted in her expression, he had no idea what was running through her mind or why her mood had changed so suddenly.

But there she was, confusing him once again.

She was smiling at him warmly. Her eyes holding a wealth of knowledge.

“I’m sure you’ll make the right decision,” She was smiling like she knew his heart.

But he couldn’t for the life of him understand why they both couldn’t get over their own stubborn pride and misgivings. Why they couldn’t seem to move past all their misunderstandings...

And just talk.

“I’ve got rounds to do,” Ava briefly laid a hand on his shoulder before heading down the stairs leaving him to stare behind her.

Maybe one day they could finally find the words. Whether they be good or bad.

* * *

Not even two hours later Connor was headed to Ms. Goodwin’s office to tell her his decision. Ava had gotten pulled into a consultation and they’d parted ways for the time being.

He’d known his choice as soon as the question had been asked but the egotistical part of him had held back. Again, he hadn’t wanted to seem desperate to stay. Especially in front of the board.

He knocked on the door of his employer and heard her beckon him in. He slid in the door, leaving it cracked behind him.

Goodwin looked up from her desk, “Ah Dr. Rhodes. I’ve been expecting you.”

Connor rose an eyebrow, “You have?”

She regarded him for a moment before nodding, “Of course. You’re here to tell me that you’re staying to run the hybrid OR.”

Both his brows shot up at this, “How did you know?”

Goodwin smirked before giving him a pointed look, “I know you better than you think.”

Connor wondered what that meant.

She steepled her fingers, “Well, I for one, am glad that you’re staying. I think this hospital will benefit from the hybrid room and the hybrid room will benefit from you running it,” Goodwin paused, “But more than that, I think you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

Connor furrowed his eyebrows. Now what did _that_ mean? He wasn’t looking for anything.

Realizing she wasn’t going to elaborate, Connor bid her goodbye and left, still perplexed by his boss’s words.

Sharon Goodwin was a wise lady and he’d learned to covet her advice and her comforting words but every once and awhile, she would say things that he didn’t quite understand. At least not at the present moment.

He slowed down as he entered the ED, taking in all the excitement. Watching as his friends bustled around to tend to their patients and spied Ava looking over charts with Natalie.

Connor took a deep breath, smiling quietly to himself. Yeah, this was where he belonged right now. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

* * *

Ava watched as Connor sped off into the night.

 _I told the board I was staying._ *

He was staying. Her plan had worked.

She’d been walking on eggshells all day, waiting and wondering if Cornelius had actually come through.

He had, and just as she had predicted, or at least what she had willed, Connor changed his mind.

The stipulation she hadn’t been expecting but she had a sneaking suspicion that Sharon Goodwin had something to do with that.

And Ava half wondered if Connor wouldn’t have changed his mind without it.

She’d silently thanked Goodwin over and over, grateful that she didn’t have to find out otherwise.

As soon as Connor told her he was staying, relief and giddiness had swallowed her. But now, the anxiety was setting in.

She still wanted to feel giddy but all she could do was bite her lip and hope that she wouldn’t regret going to Connor’s father.

Oh God, please don’t let her regret it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Ava! She has lots of conflicting emotions and she's hoping for the best but anxious about the secret she's keeping. I feel like I had an accurate representation of how she portrayed her emotions during the episode (if that makes since). I'm basically trying to rewrite season 4 as if it hadn't been ruined by the writers but sticking as close to the episodes and plots as possible, so I'm going to follow the first 11ish episodes closely. Ava's inner thoughts should match up with the things we were seeing until everything was screwed up...Then I'm just going to divert and follow the main plots but continue with happy Ava and Connor (...if that makes since :)
> 
> As for Connor, the same thing! I hope his inner thoughts match up with the emotions that were portrayed on screen!
> 
> Thank you for your support and investment and please leave a comment to tell me what you thought!
> 
> Much Love...

**Author's Note:**

> That’s the first ‘scene’ of season 4, episode 1. You can expect the rest soon! And if you guys have any ideas for these; something you wished you’d seen in the episode, please tell me! I might could work it in:)
> 
> Also, I wanted to address this. If you guys are reading these ‘scenes’ or even any of my other fics about Rhekker and maybe realize that the content in the way of emotions is repetitive, I’m doing some of that on purpose.
> 
> Let me explain: I know it might seem like I’m rehashing the same emotions but wording it differently throughout this series but I want to be able to add depth to both Ava and Connor. If my writing of their emotions and thoughts seem all over the place or again, repetitive, it’s on purpose. Because I feel like emotions in real life are like that. They can be messy and complicated and hard to describe and I want to convey that as Connor and Ava struggle with their issues.
> 
> (Also, I’ll be honest, some of that might be because I forgot I addressed it another fic:)
> 
> But that being said, if I wrote it several times, then I thought it was important in understanding their characters.
> 
> The same thing goes if you find that Ava and Connor’s (or any character’s) emotions are contradicting themselves. Like I said before, emotions are messy and I think that we can confuse ourselves and talk ourselves out of something or think we thought something but found that it wasn’t true...
> 
> So, in saying all of this, contradiction might happen. 
> 
> I thought I would just say all this just in case you pick up on it and are wondering why I’m repeating myself. If it becomes too repetitive or too confusing, PLEASE, PLEASE, tell me!!! I don’t want it to be predictable:)
> 
> Alrighty! I hope all that made since and you understand what I was trying to say! I know it’s kind of confusing but in my head it makes since :) Sorry for rambling!
> 
> And I really hope you enjoyed that little snippet! Please leave a comment! It makes my day, as always!
> 
> Much love!!


End file.
